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The master of the elemental classic, American designer Paul McCobb designed everything from furniture to tableware. Employed as a window dresser prior to founding his ever-popular Planner Group and taking on a partnership with Directional, Paul McCobb designed the kind of modular basics that never go out of style. Aerodynamically designed, and just a touch atomic, vintage Paul McCobb furniture continually reminds us that furniture need not be daring to be chic.

YOUR GUIE TO VINTAGE PAUL MCCOBB FURNITURE

When you’re looking to add some functional style to your home décor, consider the unique and well-mannered furniture of Paul McCobb. If you find yourself transported directly into a Mad Men episode, you have definitely achieved the look you wanted. Widely considered one of the premier designers of Mid-Century Modern furniture, Paul McCobb’s work is equally alluring and practical. His designer’s legacy was built around a purity of line and form and an utter absence of ornament. The work is solid, though, and doesn’t lack warmth. Instead, it features a commanding presence, making it the darling of collectors throughout the U.S. Variety is another characteristic of McCobb’s pieces, as they were mass produced in the ’50s, and used Paul McCobb furniture can still be found in numerous collections.

ABOUT PAUL MCCOBB

Trained as a fine artist in Boston, McCobb started his career as a window dresser after leaving Vesper George School of Art without a degree. Although he had no formal interior design training, he used his impeccable instincts and talents to establish himself as a furniture designer towards the end of the 1940’s.

McCobb is best known for his mid-century modern furniture and was a design consultant for Martin Feinman’s Modern Age Furniture in New York where he met and partnered with B.G.Mesberg. Together, they set to create a new functional collection of furniture pieces.
The time was right, with the expansion towards suburbs of an entire mid-American class, who needed housing and furnishings. Matching these new households’ informal, yet functional style, the McCobb designs are neoclassical at heart and soon became ubiquitous throughout 50’s American homes. The appeal was widely related to the high functionality of his pieces. McCobb’s ‘living walls’ concept allowed for more flexibility and efficiency when decorating smaller places.

Paul McCobb’s functional collection Planner Group was in continuous production from the early 1950’s to the mid-60’s. Made of birch and maple, this simple line quickly became the “furniture for the people,” as it was coined by experts at the time. Another modular, and very practical line was the Directional Group collection. Using more expensive and sophisticated materials, this quickly became one of the top selling furniture lines of the 1950’s. The immense success of these collections captivated a mass audience and encouraged his firm, Paul McCobb Design Associates, to create designs for home accessories and other household items, from clocks and glassware to dishes and TV sets. He also created a number of other lines including Predictor, The Connoisseur Collection, and The Calvin Group. His Directional line was produced by Calvin Furniture.

Although popular with the middle-class Americans looking for simplicity in their furnishings, the work of Paul McCobb was largely ignored by collectors and specialists long after his death in 1969. The first years of the 21st century have seen a resurgence of the taste in simple yet sophisticated designs. More and more collectors are coming to appreciate the fact that McCobb brought a unique and new perspective to furniture. His designs were well ahead of their time, making them iconic pieces of collectible furniture. Each one is interesting in its own right and will certainly be a wonderful addition to any home.

CHARACTERISTICS OF VINTAGE PAUL MCCOBB FURNITURE

Vintage Paul McCobb furniture features functional designs that are also very versatile. Modular components each work well individually, but also comingle nicely with other furnishings. They are high quality but were designed with affordability in mind. His lines include a wide range of furniture including desks, chairs, storage units, shelves, benches, and sofas.

When you want to add a little bit of functional 50s into your home, you should definitely take a closer look at vintage Paul McCobb furniture. The designs are utilitarian but certainly not without flavor. The basic look of these pieces allows them to mix effortlessly with most other furniture styles to create an eclectic look that is extremely popular today. Many of the pieces have a somewhat Scandinavian feel to them.

Vintage Paul McCobb furniture designs are the definition of mid-century modern furniture. Mid-century modern, known affectionately as MCM by collectors, is a furniture movement that was originally inspired by the Bauhaus designers starting in the 1930’s. By the 1950’s the streamlined and uncomplicated lines of MCM were becoming more and more popular. The modern aesthetic was seen in everything from tables and chairs, to side tables, and desks. The look is immediately identifiable by the use of simple lines and legs and a minimalist approach in general.

Many designers began creating modern furniture in the mid 1950’s and 1960’s. Used Paul McCobb furniture is similar in style to other famous designers. For instance, the atomic undertones of some McCobb pieces have some resemblance to pieces made by furniture designer Adrian Pearsall.

DECORATING WITH VINTAGE PAUL MCCOBB FURNITURE

Mid-Century Modern furniture maintains appeal with interior designers and collectors because of the effortless way it can be used in a room. You can easily create a modern boho look using mid-century modern furniture. The pieces are understated, yet each one is distinctive and can easily stand on its own.

Even a single piece of used Paul McCobb furniture can be harmoniously combined with many other furniture styles to create a look that is as unique as you are. For example, add a vintage Paul McCobb furniture side table to your living room to give it an immediate chic modern appearance. Today’s homes are often comprised of various diverse furniture styles put together to create an interesting and completely unique arrangement.

CHOOSING USED PAUL CCOBB FURNITURE

There’s no better way to give your living space an update than with used Paul McCobb furniture. There are many options to pick from and many of them are quite affordable. Used Paul McCobb furniture makes a great way to begin your room’s design.